He rolled her off of him and lay her beside him. His hands lifting her up into him as his face buried in her neck kissing her shoulders where the sun and moon tattoos sat. She felt his hands roaming the scars along her back, the ridges of skin that resembled lash marks but that she had no memories of felt different from the unmarred skin. He never seemed to mind nor pay much heed to the defects in her body as he made his way around.

She blushed as he pulled back the covers pulling her into them and began undoing her pants but she forced herself to lie back and find enjoyment in every sweet second.

"I love you Ari."

"I love you too."

His mouth made contact with her neck sending shivers up her spine. His hands slowly trailed her ribs building anxiety inside of her. Finally resting on her breast he cupped and massaged it. He bent his face to her nipples making her moan in pleasure as he played with the ring through it.

She felt her hands sliding down his torso as if they knew what they were doing. His body was hard but soft at the same time. His firm skin was several degrees warmer than her own. He climbed atop her looking her in the eyes ensuring she wasn’t panicking.

She nodded feeling her breath getting lost in her throat in excitement.

He bent kissing her lips sliding against her, sending chills every which way.

She felt him enter her as warmth filled her. The temperature difference was noticeable everywhere his skin met hers.

He moved slowly, methodically, ensuring she wasn’t afraid. She tilted her head back moaning in delight. He began moving faster making her moan louder. His lips met hers hushing her. She felt her arms legs wrap around his thick body holding him to her. Her nails dragged up his back quickening his pace again.

Ari felt the low pressure building in her stomach, as he rocked with her sending spasms throughout her.

Her body felt again, like it would go in every direction all at once but instead of fear she was filled with pleasure.

It was a new experience for her, both of her.

She listened to the sounds outside her room realizing she had a naked guy in her bed, which was strictly prohibited. She raised an eyebrow thinking about how the Lorri woman had been the one to put him in her bed, granted he had been a large wolf at the time.

"How are you so deep in thought?"

She glanced up at his smiling face, "Oh I was thinking about how much trouble I could get in right now."

He smiled making his green eyes sparkle, "Ari thinking about consequences, hmm am I being bold by saying I believe you’ve gotten the other Ari under control?"

She laughed, "I'm trying. The good part is she wants to go. She is so full of bad things, bad memories, bad thoughts she just wants to be free."

His gaze turned tender, "Ari you don’t remember the marks on your body being made do you?"

She shook her head, "She doesn’t let me see, thank god. I know what they are, Annabelle said the ones on my back look like lash marks the slaves had back in the day and the ones on my stomach are cigarette burns we figured. There are a few I'm guessing are cuts and scrapes but honestly I'm guessing."

He laid on the pillow beside her, watching her intently, "Do you think she did any of them herself?"

She nodded fighting to keep the bitter anger inside herself as the other Ari fought to defend herself but also remove them both from the vulnerability Lucas represented.

"I would kill anyone I knew put a mark on you."

The words were a whisper in the air between them but like a rain cloud they hovered, she knew he was not the kind guy to make empty promises. He meant everything he said.

A knock at the door startled her from her small amount of fear of him, "Ari is Lucas awake yet?" It was Daniel.

She bit her lip and answered clearing her throat, "Uhh yeah."

"Okay can you two come out please, we need to meet with you."

She looked at Lucas and smiled, "Yeah be right there."

He smiled, "Shower?"

"Yeah. Can I go first?"

He shook his head, "We can go together. You cant be out of my sight for a while Ari."

Uncertain about how that felt and New Ari raging inside her she stepped off the bed suddenly shy about being naked in a room with him. She walked to the bathroom quickly and turned on the shower trying desperately to not acknowledge him.

It was hard when his warm naked body pressed against her and his lips traced the tattoos and marks on her back. She stepped into the shower feeling every inch of her face and body glowing with the fire he seemed to create.

The shower stall wasn't massive and Lucas was making the shower difficult to have. He kissed her neck and held her against him.

"I think we should go home Ari." He whispered into her neck.

She shook her head speaking breathlessly, "I can't do this. You're taking up all the water and I'm never going to get clean at this rate."

"It's a tiny shower, the shower in my room has tons of room. Pretty sure we could do the things I'm thinking about right now if we were back home."

"Lucas I'm going to get in trouble."

"You're mine Ari and no one can tell me that I can't be with you."

She liked that, she liked being his. His huge body wrapped around hers, it pulled her in and made her safe. Nothing could hurt her as long as he was there.

She stayed turned away from him embarrassed by her naked body in the light of the bright bathroom trying desperately to get even an ounce of water on herself.

He kissed her once more on the neck and sighed, "Okay since we aren’t going to do what I want to do I'll get out and dry off. You're still dry Ari jeeze hurry up."

She looked at the smile on his face and frowned, "You had all the water."

Once he was gone from the shower she let the hot water pour down on her. The heat of the water made her think of the heat from his body and how it had felt covering her the way the water did. Her body had responded to him like it knew the way no doubt thanks to the other Ari's life style. She knew how to move and what to touch. Instead of hurting the way her friends had said it would it had felt amazing.

"Babe we gotta go, Daniel just sent Aimee here to knock."

She turned the shower off to find him standing outside of the shower with a huge bath sheet for her. He wrapped her in it holding her.

"What changed?" She asked looking at him in the mirror.

He shook his head, "Everything. I waited so long I didn’t know what to say, I'd acted like such a dick and I knew I needed to say sorry but I was still so mad. It was stupid. You sent the last text saying you were done and I knew, I knew it was now or never."

He pulled her back looking into her eyes, "You scared me, when you said you were done and we could be friends I panicked. I went to Aimee and told her and she smacked me around a little and Ben was like if you don't go I will."

Ari laughed knowingly.

"No matter what I cant let go of you Ari." His green eyes were intense.

"You don’t have to Lucas, this is all I ever wanted. I just didn’t know how to get here."

He kissed the tip of her nose and walked into her room and changed back into his clothes. She dressed fast hoping they wouldn’t be too obvious. She looked at his thick brown hair laying damp around his head and knew they were so obvious.

She stepped up to the door and took a deep breath, she had always been a private person, she hated she'd just lost her virginity in a dorm room and was emerging with the guy and everyone would know.

"Stop stressing, it's not a big deal. We aren’t the first people to have sex Ari."

She turned harshly and hushed him, "Shhhhh."

He laughed at her panicked face and reached and opened the door pushing her out into the hallway. She felt her runners skidding along the floor as he shoved her out.

The hallway was empty which she hadn’t expected.

He grabbed her hand in his and tugged her along down the hall.

The sitting room was dimly lit with the glow of a flickering propane fireplace and dim lights. Feeling awkward holding Lucas's hand she noticed the burning starting in her hands. He looked at her and smiled, "Easy trigger."

She blushed a deeper crimson, "Sorry." She pulled her sweaty hand from his.

She smiled seeing Aimee, "Hey Aims."

Aimee looked between her and Lucas and nodded, "How's it going?"

Ari nodded almost squeaking, "Good."

Daniel looked at Ari and frowned, "have a seat dear."

She walked to the huge comfy couch and sat feeling the room filling with every ones thoughts abut her and Lucas and their wet hair or the fact they'd been in the room alone in the dark for hours.

"Are you alright Ari?"

She looked up at Lorri and smiled, "What? Yes."

Lucas laughed, "Sorry about earlier. My wolf wouldn’t back down. I was trying to hold him back." He smirked at Ari, "He just really gets protective over her, she's my mate."

Ari gulped looking horrified thinking to herself, 'had he said mate? Did that mean friend?'

"Right well yes of course, it's not a problem Lucas. We know what wolves are like when it comes to their mates. It actually provided the perfect test for Ari's abilities."

Aimee sighed, "So bummed I missed it. I heard you almost shot it right from your hands, that’s pretty sweet."

Ari nodded still feeling lost in the mate conversation that seemed to be happening above her head somewhere, "Yeah it was crazy. I didn’t get tired after, not right away."

"Nice."

Lorri clasped her hands together, "We want to run another trial. Lucas could you help out?"

He looked at Ari and nodded, "Yes of course."

Ari frowned, "Trial? You want me to do it again?"

Lorri nodded, "Yes but under more duress and with more shifters and demons."

Ari panicked, "I could push one back. This is a very bad idea."

Lorri shook her head, "No we'll only pick the ones you cant. Aimee will be there just in case to remove you if it gets out of control."